Medical appointment is 'very positive and welcome development for community in Tipperary'

Confirmation from the HSE that a new Consultant Ophthalmologist will take up a post in south Tipperary in August has been welcomed.

The update was confirmed to Deputy Michael Murphy in recent correspondence from the Office of the Head of Primary Care for HSE South East.

“The appointment of a new ophthalmologist is a very positive and welcome development for the community in south Tipperary,” said Deputy Murphy.

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“Since my election to the Dáil last November, the filling of this vital post has been a key priority for me. I have raised the issue repeatedly in the Dáil and directly with the Minister for Health”.

Deputy Murphy acknowledged the unacceptable delay in restoring the service, which left many — particularly children — without access to essential eye care.

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“While I welcome this progress, I cannot ignore the fact that this post has remained vacant for over 12 months, and during that time too many children and families were left without timely access to the care they needed. That is simply not acceptable”.

He added: “I will continue to engage with the HSE to ensure that everything is in place to support the new consultant’s work and to help address the backlog that has built up over the past year”.

Deputy Murphy also paid tribute to the long-serving former Consultant Ophthalmologist, Dr Maureen Hillary, who retired in 2024.